Steel and Flesh
by Jack of the Pelt
Summary: Something waits for the Doctor in the Khrullian Necropolis, something ancient and evil...
1. Chapter One

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Author's Note: Okay, I said my last story was my first piece of fan fiction, but it appears that I've misled you slightly as I found this, a Doctor Who tale I wrote all the way back in 1998. It's not particularly good, but I thought I might as well put it here anyway. This chapter originally appeared in issue 28 of the Doctor Who fanzine _Fast Return_ and is set between _Frontios_ and _Resurrection of the Daleks_. As always I hope you enjoy this story and please don't forget to review.

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Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to the BBC and is used without permission.

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Steel and Flesh

By Jack of the Pelt

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Chapter One

Darius Thompson was unable to sleep. In fact he had not slept properly for what seemed like ages. He knew that he would not probably get another decent nights rest until he was away from this place. He did not know whether it was the total silence or the bizarre shadow of the Khrullian Sphinx which hung over his tent like an angry shadow that did it, but he just could not sleep, no matter how hard he tried. Thinking that a breath of fresh air was what he needed he swung himself off his bunk, picked up the battered pair of boots he always wore on expeditions, tied up the laces and left his tent.

After walking for a while Thompson decided that he was beyond being tired now and that he would carry on with his work. Only two months before, a strange necropolis had been discovered on the planet and it was the greatest find on the expedition yet. Nothing had prepared him or his team of the sheer majesty of the necropolis and the craftsmanship that had gone into building the structure many thousands of years ago.

One of the best features of the necropolis was the giant sphinx that hung over the entrance, like an angry security guard. Just passing beneath it he knew the effect that it had on the people who came anywhere near it. It seemed to promote fear. Maybe that was the idea.

He shivered as he looked up at the construction. It was very bizarre, unlike most of the things he had seen before and he had seen a lot of strange things in his time. It was a little like the ancient sphinx of Earth mythology, except it looked more like a jackal than a lion, and whatever it was made of he could only hazard a guess. Whatever it was, it was nothing that he or any of his team had ever heard of.

Even so, after a month they still could not get inside the damn thing.

Removing a micro torch from his top pocket, he leaned closer and shone his torch on the hieroglyphics covering the massive double doors. Suddenly he looked again over the symbols and realised they had been reading them wrong from the start. Excited, he tested his hypothesis and pressed some of the hieroglyphs. He waited for several minutes, but nothing happened. _Oh well_, he thought. _Back to the drawing board_. He was about to return to the camp when he heard a loud grinding noise. He turned around, and gasped with excitement as the doors slowly began to open.

Thrilled at his new discovery, he hurried back to the camp.

***

In the darkness of the deepest part of the necropolis, a pair of eyes flared into life.

"My servants," intoned a deep, mellifluous voice. "Kill the flesh things. Spare nothing." The cavernous room suddenly lit up with an intense brightness. The sounds of a thousand swords drawn in unison and a thousand feet marching flooded the necropolis.

***

In the deep, dark regions of space hung a blue box. Not just any old box, but a powerful time machine called the TARDIS. Inside was a large room with a hexagonal console at it's centre. A man milled around the console. He was young with short, fair hair. He was dressed in the garb of an Edwardian cricketing gentleman with a long coat, flannel trousers and white jumper. The only thing that would have looked out of place was the distinctive question marks on his shirt collars and the stick of celery pinned to the lapel of his jacket. However this was no ordinary man. This was a man almost a thousand years old, who had the power of time travel at his fingertips. He was the Time Lord know only as the Doctor.

He was distracted from his work at the console when the door behind him opened and Tegan stepped into the console room. "Hi, Doctor," she said. "Where are you taking us this time?"

The Doctor looked up at her and handed her a book that was on the console. She took the book from the Doctor's hand and looked at the cover. It was entitled _The Riddle of the Khrullian Sphinx_. It's author was one Professor Darius Thompson. She looked back at the Doctor. "That's nice," she said. "But that still doesn't tell me where we're going? And what is a Khrullian Sphinx?"

The door opened again and Turlough walked in. He caught the end of the Doctor and Tegan's conversation. "The Khrullians were a civilisation that was destroyed thousands of years ago," said Turlough.

"So who is this Darius Thompson?" asked Tegan, still nonplussed as to why they were telling her about a long since dead race.

"An eminent archaeologist from the 38th century, Tegan," replied the Doctor. "He was the foremost authority on the Khrullian race."

"Doctor, snapped Tegan. "I don't appreciate riddles."

"I'm sorry, Tegan," said the Doctor, his face softening. "I mean we're going to meet Professor Thompson when he found the Khrullian Necropolis."

"Well, why didn't you just say?" said Tegan.

***

A short while later the TARDIS materialised on Khrull and the three time travellers walked outside. The Doctor closed the TARDIS door behind them and then surveyed the horizon.

"Over there," he said, pointing over the horizon.

"All the way over there!" moaned Tegan. "You've got to be joking?!"

The Doctor looked hurt. "I never joke, Tegan."

"Don't I know it," grumbled Tegan as she followed the Doctor and Turlough.

Meanwhile behind them the sand trembled for a few seconds.

***

A while later, a very angry Tegan and the Doctor and Turlough arrived at the necropolis. Tegan looked up at the imposing stature of the Sphinx. "What on earth is that?" she asked.

"That, Tegan, is one of Professor Thompson's most famous discoveries. The Khrullian Sphinx." He looked around and pointed in the direction of a small camp. "Let's go and meet him."

Soon they arrived in a clearing which had several tents and a large space shuttle standing in it. "I think this must be it," the Doctor said.

"What are you going to tell Thompson when you see him?" asked Tegan.

"I haven't thought about it," he replied. "Don't worry, I'll think of something."

Then from out of nowhere came a voice.

"Stay where you are," it barked.

The three travellers froze.

"Place your hands on your head."

They did as they were told. Then suddenly, three figures appeared in front of them. They were clad in plated black armour, their faces masked with black helmets. They also carried large laser rifles which they noticed were rather disconcertingly aimed right at them.

"Light reflective armour," said the Doctor. "Very useful. That's why we couldn't see them."

"No talking!" barked one of the troopers.

One of the troopers, who they assumed was the leader, lifted his wrist to his mouth and spoke into the device strapped to it. "We've found a group of people. One humanoid female, two humanoid males." The trooper lowered his arm and motioned to the Doctor and his friends with his rifle. "You three, come with us," he snapped.

Tegan was about to argue, but thought better of it when one of the troopers aimed a laser rifle at her.

***

They were marched to the main camp and were interrogated by Captain Kenzaki, a Japanese man in his late thirties.

"What are you doing on Khrull?" he demanded.

"We came here to meet Professor Darius Thompson," said the Doctor.

"And to kill him?"

The Doctor looked at Tegan and Turlough who both shrugged. He turned back to Kenzaki. "I beg your pardon?" he said.

"We found the bodies of the whole team," said Kenzaki. "Every last one."

"I can assure you we only just landed…" said the Doctor. He trailed off and listened intently for a few seconds. "Did you hear that?" he asked.

"I'm not a fool," said Kenzaki. "If you think that old trick is going to work on me…"

"No, listen," said the Doctor.

Kenzaki sighed and did as the Doctor asked. Before he could say anything one of the troopers burst into the tent.

"We're being attacked, sir!" he stammered.

Kenzaki ordered a trooper to guard the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough and ran outside. An explosion rocked the tent and the Doctor and his companions fell to the ground.

"What the hell's happening?" moaned Tegan. Looking up she saw the tent ripped from top to bottom. She screamed when she saw a huge metal scorpion bow, it's head moving into the interior of the ruined tent. The trooper fired but the laser made no impression on the scorpion's metal exoskeleton. It just picked the trooper up and crushed his body between it's metal claws. The broken body of the trooper fell to the ground with a loud thump.

***

In the necropolis, Syclos, the last Priest-King of Khrull, saw through the scorpion's eyes and zeroed in on the Doctor. He looked closer.

"It can't be," he said. "It just cannot be him."

The image zoomed in on the Doctor's face. Syclos laughed. "Kill him," he screamed. "Kill the Doctor!"

***

"Take cover!" cried the Doctor as the scorpion went for him. "And watch out for the tail!"

Tegan watched as the Scorpion's tail hit a buggy. It glowed and exploded in a ball of green flame. The three travellers made it to cover and Turlough dusted himself down. "What is that thing?" he asked.

"A Khrullian war scorpion," said the Doctor. "The Khrullian's most powerful war machine. Almost indestructible."

"Almost?"

"Aim for the tail," shouted the Doctor to the troopers.

The remaining troopers changed tack and began firing at the scorpion's tail. It flailed as burst after burst of laser fire hit it.

"MALFUNCTION!" came a metallic feminine voice from the scorpion. The tip of the tail glowed brightly then the scorpion began to judder uncontrollably and finally violently exploded causing all of those around it to be flung to the ground.

***

Syclos laughed. "Well done, Doctor," he said. "But I think you are being to clever for your own good!"

***

Where the scorpion had been was now a huge scorched crater. The Doctor helped Tegan and Turlough to their feet.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Massive feedback," said the Doctor. "You see the sting crystal absorbs energy and when the troopers fired at it, too much energy was put back into the generator and it couldn't take it. That's its one and fatal flaw."

The few remaining troopers got to their feet. One of them removed their helmet. She was a woman in her mid-thirties with close cropped blonde hair.

"Thank you," she said.

"I'm the Doctor and these are my friends Tegan and Turlough," he said.

"Reynolds," she said, holding out her hand, "Lieutenant Lisa Reynolds."

"Where is Captain Kenzaki?" asked the Doctor.

Reynolds pointed to the many bodies strewn over the ground. "He's in there somewhere."

"I see," said the Doctor. "So who's in command now?"

"I guess it must be me," she said. "Tell me about these things, Doctor. You certainly knew how to destroy it and we might need your help again."

"I've been here before," he said.

"Really?"

"Yes," he said, "it must have been about 4000 years ago give or take a decade or so."

"Well I know I shouldn't believe you," said Reynolds, "But I think I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Just tell me what they are and how we destroy them."

"It's a long story," he said.

"I'm not going anywhere," said Reynolds, smiling.

***

The Doctor enlightened Reynolds, her troops and his bemused companions as he told of the time he had helped thousands and thousands of Khrullians to escape from the tyranny of the last Priest-King of Khrull, Syclos and the death threat that was put on him.

"So you think that this Syclos guy is behind all this?" asked Reynolds.

"I would hazard a guess at yes," said the Doctor. "Those scorpions were an invention of Syclos. He was a great cyber-geneticist but he was also insane. "I should have guessed that his death wouldn't be the end of him."

"Why was he sacrificing his own people?" asked Turlough.

"To appease the gods," said the Doctor. "Syclos believed they were angry and that the only salvation was to sacrifice the unbelievers. Like I said, he was totally insane."

"How are we going to stop him then?" asked Tegan.

"I say lets get the hell off this dump and blast the planet into oblivion," said Reynolds.

"No," said the Doctor. "The Khrullians have very powerful force fields. You wouldn't even be able to scratch it let alone destroy it."

"We can't just sit here," said Reynolds.

She was interrupted by a loud rumbling noise. Soon the whole tent began to shake.

"Get everyone out of the camp!" cried the Doctor.

"Huh?" Reynolds said.

"Just do it!" he snapped. The Doctor turned to Tegan and Turlough. "Come on! we've got to get out of here."

***

The camp was in disarray. Troopers were charging everywhere, moving everyone out of the camp. When they reached the edge they noticed the sand was starting to swirl around the edges.

"What's happening?" asked Turlough.

"It's a Khrullian war machine," said the Doctor. "It's creating a sand whirlpool."

They watched in horror as the whole camp, ships and all were sucked into the maelstrom, a few luckless troopers were dragged to their deaths, their screams ringing in the ears of the survivors for seconds after.

The Doctor urged Tegan and Turlough to move. Tegan momentarily lost her footing but Turlough grabbed her hand and pulled her up. Then Turlough slipped, and both he and Tegan fell. The Doctor grabbed hold of a protruding root and grabbed Turlough's wrist before they could fall into the whirlpool. Using all his strength the Doctor tried to pull them all to safety.

"Hold on!" said the Doctor.

"We're trying!" they chorused.

"Brave heart, Tegan!" said the Doctor.

Then the root snapped.

Before they could fall, the Doctor felt something grab his wrist. He looked up. It was Reynolds.

"Hold on!" she said, as she strained to keep hold of him. She gestured behind with her hand. "Quick, lower a rope down here!"

A trooper appeared and lowered down a rope. When the trio had hold of the rope Reynolds ordered the troopers to pull them out. When they were back on firm ground the Doctor told them all to get further out of the way.

"We're not out of danger yet," he said. "We need to get over that dune!"

"Okay then," ordered Reynolds, "over that dune! Quickly!"

As they ran towards the dune Tegan looked over her shoulder. "Hey," she shouted, "the whirling has stopped!"

"Oh no," said the Doctor. "Get down now!"

The Doctor threw himself to the ground and all the others followed suit. A loud humming noise deafened everybody for a few seconds before reaching a crescendo before a huge blast of green energy exploded from the camp.

"What the hell?" said Reynolds.

The Doctor got to his feet and told everybody to keep running. "It'll take time for them to recharge the ultima cannon."

Tegan glanced over her shoulder again and this time saw a huge cobra-like robot rising from the ashes of the camp like a metallic phoenix. Silhouetted against the moon it looked truly demonic.

"We're almost there!" yelled the Doctor.

"Almost where?" yelled Reynolds back.

"The TARDIS!"

"The what?!"

"My ship," said the Doctor, "We'll be safe there, just over these dunes - oh, no!"

The TARDIS had gone…

To be continued…


	2. Chapter Two

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Author's Note: This is the second and final part of my first ever story. This chapter originally appeared in issue 29 of _Fast Return_.

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Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to the BBC and is used without permission.

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Steel and Flesh

By Jack of the Pelt

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Chapter Two

"We're almost there!" yelled the Doctor.

"Almost where?" yelled Reynolds back.

"The TARDIS!"

"The what?!"

"My ship," said the Doctor, "We'll be safe there, just over these dunes - oh, no!"

The TARDIS had gone…

***

Syclos laughed as the Doctor realised his TARDIS had gone.

"I told you Doctor that you were being too clever for your own good," he said. "You're not getting away from me this time."

***

"But it was here!" cried Tegan. "It can't have just vanished."

"Syclos must have it," said the Doctor grimly.

"Wonderful," said Reynolds. "Just wonderful. What the hell are we going to do now?"

A shadow descended on the group. They looked up and saw the cobra hovering over them.

"Run!" said the Doctor.

They all ran in different directions. One of the troopers was not so lucky and was caught in a blast from the cobra's mouth. The others fired at the thing and kept running, trying to confuse it by crossing over with other troopers. Tegan just gasped as she saw the cobra lower it's head menacingly and swallow a trooper whole.

Tegan saw the Doctor pull something out of his pocket and was fiddling with the wiring as he ran.

"What are you doing?" she screamed.

"Trying to scramble the pilots electronic neural pathways," he said. "If I can only find the correct frequency."

After a few more seconds the Doctor got it. "Eureka!" he yelled.

He called to Reynolds. "When I give the word I want you to fire at the cobra's head," he said.

"Got it," said Reynolds. "You hear that?" she yelled at her remaining troops.

"Aye!" came the reply.

"Just let me shut down it's shielding first."

Reynolds nodded and waited for the Doctor.

The Doctor kept on running, but in the opposite direction to the others. The cobra changed direction and went after the Doctor. When it was close enough, he pressed the button on the makeshift device. The cobra stood stock still. The Doctor yelled to Reynolds and threw himself to the ground.

"Fire!" yelled Reynolds.

All of the troopers fired in perfect synchronisation. The cobra began to glow. They all threw themselves to the ground knowing what would happen next. The cobra juddered and shook before exploding.

When the air had settled down the Doctor got his feet. "I'm going in," he said.

"Where?" asked Tegan.

"Into the necropolis. I have to get my TARDIS back and put an end to this once and for all."

"I won't let you go in alone, Doctor," said Tegan resolutely. "I'm coming with you."

The Doctor shook his head. "I can't let you put your life in danger like that and I'm not going to be able to talk you out of it am I?"

Tegan shook her head.

"Oh, very well then," said the Doctor, "let's go in."

They all turned around to go back to the necropolis when suddenly in the distance a horde of Khrullian war machines descended upon them from the dunes.

The Doctor looked at them all. "When I say run," he said, "RUN!"

They all ran towards the entrance of the necropolis, looking behind them at the advancing horde of war machines that were coming at them. Not only were there the scorpions and cobras they had seen earlier but ones that looked like scarabs, and others that looked for all the world like skeletons.

The Doctor reached the door first and began to quickly examine the hieroglyphs on the door.

"What are you doing?" screamed Reynolds. "Open the frigging door!"

"I'm trying to," he said. "I have to work out what the code is first."

Reynolds gave him a withering look. "Just try something, anything!" she said.

The Doctor thought for a few seconds and then shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well," he said. "Nothing ventured…"

He pressed a few of the symbols. A few seconds later there was a creaking sound and the doors slowly slid open. They all bundled inside.

"Well done, Doctor," said Reynolds.

The Doctor looked back and saw that the robots were advancing. He pressed another series of symbols on the wall next to him and the doors slammed shut with a boom which echoed throughout the large entrance chamber.

***

"Is everyone alright?" asked the Doctor.

"So so," said Reynolds.

"What now?" asked Turlough.

"We have to get to Syclos's tomb," said the Doctor.

Tegan looked around the huge room and at the huge paintings all over the walls. Horrific scenes of torture, murder and carnage decorated the entire room. "This Syclos guy is sick," she said.

"He was said to be the most evil, cruel and sadistic man in the entire history of Khrull," said the Doctor. "A reputation well earned I think."

"I thought you said we had to get going?" chipped in Reynolds.

"Yes, you're quite right. Let's go."

Reynolds and the four remaining troopers attempted to go first but the Doctor held out a hand to stop them.

"I'd better go first. The traps the Khrullians made are the most devious and evil ever constructed. I think I'm the only one here able to stop and disarm them."

***

They must have been walking for what seemed like hours. The Doctor and Reynolds were at the front, Tegan and Turlough were in the middle and the troopers were at the back. The Doctor was able to disarm every trap they encountered.

"Doctor?" asked Tegan.

"Yes, Tegan?" he replied.

"Why do all these things look Egyptian?"

"The Osirans."

"Who?"

"An incredibly powerful and ancient race. They visited thousands of planets including your own and this one, and left their mark on the civilisations they encountered. Then they vanished several thousand years ago."

Reynolds walked ahead and stopped. She turned around and held out her hand. "Look," she said pointing further down the corridor they were walking down. They looked. It led into a vast, almost cavernous chamber full of rows and rows of the mechanical skeletons. Tegan could not help being reminded of Jason and the Argonauts but she had to admit that these were far more scary than the ones from the movie, even when they were standing still. At the other end of the cavernous room were a pair of doors that were flung wide open. Whatever was in the next room, they could only hazard a guess. They entered the room slowly, making sure that the skeletons were immobile and not just about to jump and attack them with less than a minutes notice.

"Why aren't they attacking?" Turlough said to Tegan.

"Yeah, it's spooky," she replied.

The Doctor overheard them. "I think Syclos wants me to find his tomb. That is why his guards are making no attempt to stop me."

"But why?" asked Tegan.

"I haven't the faintest idea," said the Doctor. "Madmen don't need a reason."

"You don't think he's after the TARDIS do you?" said Turlough.

"I severely doubt it, I don't think he knows what it is."

"Oh, but I do, Doctor!" boomed a metallic voice that came from nowhere.

Suddenly the doors behind them slammed shut, sealing off the entrance. Thousands of green lights suddenly flickered on in the eye sockets of the skeletons and they slowly started to rise.

"Quick!" yelled the Doctor. "Out of the other door."

"But we don't know where it leads," said Tegan.

"Would you rather stay here, Tegan?" asked the Doctor.

Tegan looked back and saw the skeletons starting to move jerkily towards them and she shook her head.

They all ran to the door and managed to get though it. Unfortunately two of the remaining troopers were not quick enough and they were left battering on the closed door as the skeletons advanced on them.

"No!" screamed Tegan. "We've got to help them!"

"There's nothing we can do," said Reynolds. "They're probably dead already."

"I suppose you're right," she agreed.

"What do we do now?" asked Turlough, as he looked about the room. It was considerably smaller than the previous one and was plain looking, because unlike the other chambers it had no hieroglyphics. The room's only feature was at the back, where part of the wall, two thirds of the way down, protruded by about three feet, for a width of approximately nine feet.

"Well, we keep going. Come on everyone," said the Doctor. He walked towards a man sized exit on the right side of the room.

"How do you keep up with him?" Reynolds asked.

"We manage somehow," replied Turlough, just as the Doctor reached the exit. As he stepped closer, a slab of stone slid down over the doorway.

"Well done!" boomed the voice again. "You have done well to get this far! I expected no less from you, Doctor! But now you will have to defeat my final guardian to reach my tomb!"

"What a surprise," said the Doctor.

Panels on the walls slid back to reveal row upon row of pipes.

"Doctor! What's happening?" asked Tegan.

Before he could answer, water started to pour quickly out of the pipes.

"Everyone! Try to get on to high ground!" cried the Doctor.

Reynolds and Turlough were the first to get onto the platform, and they both helped Tegan up, which was when the water suddenly stopped. It was just above waist height.

Then there was a grinding noise. What happened a few seconds later was a blur to everyone. The water seemed to explode underneath one of the troopers, who was thrown into the air. A massive, dark metallic shape shot out from the water at the same time. It caught the trooper in it's jaws, and with a mighty snap, it swallowed him whole.

Just as suddenly as it appeared, it vanished back into the water.

"What the hell was that?" Reynolds said in disbelief.

The Doctor and the remaining trooper had reached the platform by now, and had started to climb onto it.

"It's most definitely another war machine," the Doctor said as he climbed up. "But I've never seen one like this before."

There was another grinding noise.

"What the…" said Reynolds.

The platform was beginning to, very quickly, recede back into the wall. Tegan was the first to fall in, very soon followed by the others.

"Keep close to the walls!" cried the Doctor.

Turlough suddenly noticed a large dark shape glide towards the Doctor though the water. "Doctor! Look out!" he yelled.

Before the Doctor could react, a massive crocodile-like head shot from the water and lunged at him. It was his Time Lord lightning quick reactions that saved him. Falling to one side, the creature missed the Doctor, but crashed into the wall behind him with a sickening crunch. It slid beneath the water, sparks shooting from the twisted open mouth.

"Did you see that?" asked the Doctor. The others nodded.

As if cued by the destruction of the war machine, the water level began to drop, revealing the mangled remains as the last of the water disappeared. The Doctor went over to the covered doorway, and as he touched it the stone slab slid back.

***

They entered another large room. This one was ornately decorated with all kinds of monuments and statues, which the Doctor recognised as relics of the long dead Khrullian race. He looked in amazement at the riches around him, long since thought to be little more than a myth.

"This must be what Thompson was searching for," said the Doctor. "If only he could be here to appreciate it."

"It's a great pity, Doctor," said Turlough, "but we must find the TARDIS, and soon."

"Of course," said the Doctor. He looked around the room. "The TARDIS must be nearby. Syclos is going to a great deal of trouble to stop us."

"Agreed," said Reynolds. "Let's go."

She led the way towards the opening at the other end of the room. They walked down a long, corridor. The walls again were decorated with the long, lost language of the ancient Khrullians.

"We're getting close to Syclos's lair," said the Doctor.

"How can you tell?" asked Tegan.

"The hieroglyphs," said the Doctor.

"What, do they say 'This way to the tomb of Syclos'?" said Tegan sarcastically.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," said the Doctor.

"Will there be any more of those war machines?" asked Turlough.

"I don't think so," said the Doctor. "That was the final guardian back there. There will be nothing to stop us now."

Suddenly the wall in front of them vanished from in front of their eyes and the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Reynolds looked into a vast cavernous room, replete with hieroglyphs and relics.

"I think we have found the tomb of Syclos," said the Doctor.

Indeed they had found the tomb of Syclos. Except that Syclos was not there. The TARDIS was though. The Doctor, Tegan and Turlough ran over to the familiar police box shaped craft. Reynolds approached it, a disappointed look on her face.

"This is your craft?" she asked.

"This is no ordinary craft," the Doctor said.

"He's right there," said Tegan. "Wait until you see what's inside."

"Yeah, right," said Reynolds. "There isn't enough room for five people in that thing. Hell, I doubt there's enough room for you three."

"Ye of little faith," said the Doctor as he put the key into the lock of the TARDIS and opened the door.

"Hello?" a voice said from out of the darkness.

The Doctor turned and so did Reynolds, the latter raising her gun instinctively.

"Who's there!?" she demanded.

A figure shambled out of the darkness, his hands raised.

"Professor Thompson!" she exclaimed.

"Thank goodness you found me, I haven't eaten in days."

"Where are the others in your group?" Reynolds asked.

"Dead," the professor replied. "All killed in this terrible place."

The Doctor looked at Tegan and Turlough and motioned them to bring the obviously shocked Professor inside.

"The more the merrier," the Doctor said under his breath as he entered the TARDIS.

Tegan and Turlough followed him in, holding the professor between them, closely followed by Reynolds, who found herself walking into a huge white room and not the pokey space she expected to find within the police box, while the trooper brought up the rear.

"What the hell!?" she said.

"We'll tell you later," said the Doctor. "We still have Syclos to deal with."

"But how come he isn't in his tomb?" asked Tegan, "and how did we find the TARDIS so easily?"

"I'm not too sure," said the Doctor. "There's something strange going on here.

***

Outside the TARDIS, a shadowy figure approached the craft, and entered just as it's doors were closing.

***

"We meet again, Doctor," Syclos's voice made everyone in the console room turn and look at him. Standing there was one of the mechanical skeletons, but this one wore fine robes and was studded with magnificent gems. Upon it's head it was a gleaming gold Egyptian style crown.

"Syclos," the Doctor said simply.

"Alive and well, as you can see, Doctor."

The remaining trooper raised his gun, but found himself blasted to nothing by a casual pointing gesture from Syclos.

"Was that strictly necessary?" the Doctor asked angrily.

Syclos looked around himself, marvelling at the gleaming white of the TARDIS interior. "I have everything I need now," he said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tegan asked the Doctor, shying away from the figure in front of them.

"I think I underestimated him," the Doctor said quietly, "He does want the TARDIS."

"Indeed, Time Lord," Syclos said, as though the Doctor had been speaking at normal level. "You will re-open the doors and let my army enter.

The Doctor moved towards the console, keeping his eyes on the figure in front of the doors. Guessing that Syclos had no idea of how the TARDIS operated, he slammed home the de-materialisation switch, at the same time ramming home the door control.

***

In the tomb, the wheezing, groaning of the TARDIS's engines were heard, and the police box began to fade from sight. The doors could be seen opening at the same time, and were fully open as it disappeared.

***

Inside the console room, the disruption of the time vortex took all of the occupants apart from the Doctor by surprise, but it achieved the Doctor's goal. As he saw Syclos pulled out of the doors into the vortex, he pulled the door lever again, and the doors closed at hat seemed like slow motion.

As they shut, the maelstrom ceased, and the normal humming of the interior became audible.

"Doctor," Turlough said, "wasn't that a bit dangerous?"

The Doctor looked at his companion. "As dangerous as having Syclos let loose throughout all time and space?" he asked.

Turlough shook his head. "Point taken," he said.

"I'll admit, I wasn't sure the old girl would take the strain, but it has happened before."

Tegan shot a venomous glance at the Doctor. "And no doubt it will happen again, except it could be _you_ going though the doors next time if you don't give us some warning."

The Doctor looked abashed, then his face brightened and he turned to Reynolds.

"Well," he said, "this is where we say goodbye."

"Yes," said Reynolds. "Thank you, Doctor. You can drop us off at my ship, it should be in orbit around Khrull."

The Doctor nodded and turned to Thompson. "To you too, Professor," he said to the dishevelled man, "I'm sure you have a book to write about this."


End file.
